STARKVILLE – Brian Baker has a problem. But don’t push the panic button, Mississippi State fans. The defensive line coach said it’s a “great problem to have.”

Baker has a plethora of defensive linemen who could make major impacts at just about every university across the nation, but he only has four places he can put them on a football field. Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said Monday he’s very conscious of the dilemma.

Shoop has a hardline approach to dealing with it. He said not everyone is going to be happy with the distribution of snaps week to week. He had a similar conundrum in 2015 at Penn State: a lot of bodies, four spots to stick them. That defense went on to lead the country in sacks per game.

“I think we have a good idea how to utilize the tools that we have,” Shoop said.

“It’s not intramurals and it’s not Pop Warner football where it’s going to be even reps,” Shoop added. “We’ve got to play our best players.”

Mississippi State’s best players on Shoop’s side of the ball are senior defensive end Montez Sweat and junior defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. They’re locked in as starters. Seniors Gerri Green and Cory Thomas or Braxton Hoyett will fill the other two spots on the end and in the middle, respectively. So what about those other guys?

Lee Autry is a junior defensive tackle vying for reps. He redshirted during his first year on campus after transferring from Itawamba Community College and said he can’t wait to finally take the field in maroon and white. It’s uncertain how long that will take.

There are two redshirt seniors – Tre Brown and Grant Harris – who are also competing for playing time behind Simmons and Thomas/Hoyett. Also in the mix is junior Kendell Jones and a trio of freshmen: Devon Robinson, James Jackson and Cameron Young.

Autry should be in line to secure snaps in the second or third rotation. He said he’s a visual learner who has benefited from watching Simmons and Thomas. They’ve spent extra time teaching Autry how to rush the passer and shed blocks. If he’s asked to relieve them in any game this season, he’s standing by patiently.

“If coach calls my number, I’m ready to go out there and make a play,” Autry said.

Junior defensive end Fletcher Adams has a similar mindset, and he needs it. Like at the tackle position, there’s another army of Bulldogs waiting to pounce at any opportunity to earn playing time on the ends. Adams is competing with juniors Marquiss Spencer and Chauncey Rivers, sophomore Kobe Jones and freshmen Aaron Odom, Jaden Crumedy and Fabien Lovett.

Spencer and Jones are bound to see the field based on prior production. Rivers is likely to register meaningful snaps after redshirting in 2017. Adams himself made six starts last year, but it remains a mystery how much of the field he’ll see this season.

Despite Shoop’s ominous declaration for players sandwiched deep on the defensive depth chart, Adams said he’s still optimistic that he’ll have enough opportunities to have more tackles for loss than he did a season ago, when he had a respectable 3.5. Most of his optimism comes from Baker.

Baker treats Simmons and Sweat the same way he treats Autry and Adams, and that holds true for every player down the roster. In practices, he coaches first-year freshmen with the same fervor he uses with fifth-year seniors. He wants the group’s mentality to be uniform and sound. So far, the guys are receptive to his methods.

“If you have a jersey, and you’re traveling, then you’re a starter regardless of where you’re at on the depth chart,” Adams said. “We’re going to be rotating guys. There can’t be a drop off.”

Just how much rotation Baker employs remains to be seen. How ever it shakes out, MSU’s defensive line appears to be ready from top to bottom.